Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to lasers and pulse circuits and excited atomic state and plasma generators related thereto.
The present invention comprises a pulse circuit for generating an output pulse, wherein the pulse circuit comprises a power supply; at least one Blumlein line wherein each line comprises a front end and an output end; a switch for grounding each front end of the at least one Blumlein line simultaneously; and a snubber for truncating the output pulse from the at least one Blumlein line. As described herein, this purser circuit is useful for a variety of applications. In an embodiment of this pulser circuit, the circuit further comprises at least two Blumlein lines comprising electrically connected and simultaneously groundable front ends and serially connected output ends. In another embodiment of this pulser circuit, the circuit comprises discharge electrodes for discharging the output pulse to a gas wherein each of the discharge electrodes optionally bound a tube configuration comprising a surface for heat exchange.
The present invention also comprises an inventive generator for generating an excited atomic state of a molecule. According to one embodiment, this particular generator comprises a power supply; a pulse circuit; and an excited atomic state generating region wherein the pulse circuit discharges a pulse to a gas in the region and thereby generates an excited atomic state of at least one molecule in the gas and wherein the gas optionally comprises at least one inert gas. In a particular embodiment, the excited atomic state generating region optionally comprises electrodes, a loop, or a cavity wherein the cavity optionally comprises a resonant cavity or a capacitively coupled cavity (particularly useful for RF and microwave energy deposition). In another embodiment, the excited atomic state generating region optionally comprises a loop and at least two electrodes. In yet another embodiment, the excited atomic state generator optionally comprises an excited atomic state generating region comprising a loop and at least one transformer core comprising at least one winding wherein the excited atomic state generating region loop forms a second winding of the at least one transformer core. In many of the embodiments of the present invention, particularly the generator and laser embodiments, removal of heat from the system is useful. For example, one embodiment of the generator comprises an excited atomic state generating region that further comprises a component of a heat exchanger.
The present invention also comprises a laser. In one embodiment, the laser comprises a power supply; a pulse circuit; an excited atomic state generating region wherein the pulse circuit discharges a pulse to a gas in the region and thereby generates an excited atomic state of at least one molecule in the gas and wherein the gas optionally comprises at least one inert gas; and a resonant cavity for generating a laser beam. In a particular embodiment, the laser optionally comprises a heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of said excited atomic state generating region; and optionally comprising supersonic expansion nozzles for introducing the gas into the excited atomic state generating region.
The present invention also comprises several inventive methods. For example, the present invention comprises a method of generating a plasma. In one embodiment this method comprises the steps of: a) providing a gas; b) applying a pulse to the gas to over-volt the gas to an E/N value above ionization breakdown thereby forming a plasma; c) applying additional pulses, above ionization breakdown of the gas, to sustain quasi-continuous ionization of the plasma; and d) causing a current flow to the plasma by applying an electric field comprising an E/N value less than the glow potential of the plasma. In a particular embodiment of this method the gas comprises O2 and the method generates an excited atomic state Of O2 and optionally wherein the excited atomic state comprises O21xcex94.
The present invention also comprises a method for producing a laser beam. In one embodiment, this laser method comprises the steps of: a) providing a gas; b) applying a pulse to the gas to over-volt the gas to an electric field normalized to plasma density value above ionization breakdown thereby forming a plasma; c) applying additional pulses, above ionization breakdown of the gas, to sustain quasi-continuous ionization of the plasma; d) causing a current flow to the plasma by applying an electric field comprising an electric field normalized to plasma density value less than the glow potential of the plasma; e) contacting the plasma with a molecule of the gas to generate an excited atomic state of that molecule; f) contacting the excited molecule with iodine to excite the iodine; and g) lasing the excited iodine.
The present invention also includes a laser comprising a gas, a beam produced by the gas and a throat wherein the gas and beam pass through the throat. In one embodiment, the throat comprises a converging region and a diverging region to achieve supersonic flow of gas passing therethrough. This particular embodiment is optionally useful when a lasing molecule is capable of repetetive cycling over the length of a cavity. While iodine is suitable as a lasing molecule, this embodiment is not limited specifically to iodine.
A primary object of the present invention is to enable an electric oxygen iodine laser.
A primary advantage of the present invention is an efficient laser.
Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.